the closer to the body an amputation was, the higher the chance of death
83% of hip amputations resulted in death
the Minie ball splintered bones and destroyed muscles; soldiers with wounds from this bullet in the head or through the body were not expected to live
amputation was the most common operation because over 70% of wounds were to the extremeties
battlefield hospitals were not sanitary; doctors often used instruments over and over with no cleaning between patients but a dip in cold, bloody water
most of the time if an instrument was dropped, it was just dipped in cold water and the surgery would continue
To amputate, the doctor would use a scalpel to cut the flesh and muscle away from the bone leaving just a flap of skin. Then they used a saw to cut the bone. After the bone was cut, they would use a file to grind the end of the bone down so it would be smooth and wouldn't poke through the skin. They then sewed the skin flap over the bone with horsehair but left an opening so the blood could drain out. After that, they covered the stump with plaster.
the North had 11,000 doctors and the South had 3,000
less than 1% of these doctors had done surgery before
experienced surgeons could amputate a limb in under 10 minutes by the end of the war
a surgeon's kit contained knives, a hook, a saw and a pair of pliers
pictures
This is a picture of a soldier getting his leg amputated.
This is a surgeon's kit. Surgeons would carry it around with them during battle.
Civil War Surgery
By Emily HennenfentThis is a picture of a soldier getting his leg amputated.
This is a surgeon's kit. Surgeons would carry it around with them during battle.
References
Amputations
Surgery
Pictures